Deadline to Apply: June 6th, 2016
Decision Notification: June 7th, 2016
Cost: 2,800 USD + Travel (One round-trip airline ticket will be offered to the most qualified candidate) See below
Timeframe: Starting dates and ending dates are a little flexible for schooling
Three interns needed from August 15th, 2016 to November 15th, 2016
Well-qualified undergraduate seniors or recently graduated biology/conservation majors to work as an intern on the Giant Panda Stereotypic, Maternal, and Endocrine projects.
Location
You will be based predominantly in Ya’an China, working closely with the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) to research factors effecting mate preference in captive giant pandas. The interns primary job will be daily tracking of panda locations to track familiarity, collecting fecal samples from August to September, scoring stereotypic and maternal behaviors, and analyzing for hormones. Other duties will include, cataloging fecal samples, downloading videos weekly, and collecting data on feeding behaviors.
Conservation Focus
With connections to the San Diego Zoo and CCRCGP this internship provides a well-rounded and practical experience perfect for building a career in international biological conservation or zoo biology.
Importance
This project has the potential to improve captive breeding methods currently utilized by both zoological and private breeding facilities of endangered species. Given the predicted results, the San Diego Zoo and CCRCGP can provide a model system of captive breeding that integrates both genetic and behavioral information to determine optimal mating pairs. It seems clear that conservation breeding programs in zoos and breeding centers have much to gain from a more integrated approach, addressing both the importance of genetic management and natural mating preferences.
Local Living
Accommodation will be in Ya’an with running hot water, electricity, and internet. Heaters are either by gas or electric and are provided in the housing if you are staying over a winter months. You will be expected to keep up with daily housekeeping, cooking and shopping on your own.
Panda interns are expected to work independently, with only minimal supervision, managing their own time and meeting any assigned deadlines. You will usually be able to take at least one-two days off each week, dependent on current work priorities.
On approved days off you can hike, go wildlife watching or take trips to other cities but this will all be on your own money. There are various cultural events you may attend with local friends, such as festivals and national holidays, which can provide a fascinating and very personal insight into local traditions.
Medical facilities are extremely basic; anything beyond a minor medical emergency would require international evacuation where full medical facilities are available. All interns are required to have adequate insurance to cover any costs that ensue, since a full medical evacuation back to Europe could cost up to 100,000GBP. We will need relevant medical history and proof of travel insurance if selected.
Language
You will be expected and encouraged to learn some of the Chinese language in order to be integrated as fully as possible into the community during your stay. This will come quickly with daily immersion and opportunities to practice with local staff and students. It is a good idea to bring a dictionary and audio learning materials with you in order to facilitate your studies.
Intern Contribution
Interns are required to work for a minimum of 3 months and pay a contribution of 2,800 USD for the entire 3 months. This funding will contribute to the individual’s accommodation and research‐ associated costs during the internship (see below).
All interns are required to cover their own travel to the country (flights around 800-1,200 USD from Portland Oregon) and insurance. We require proof of insurance before starting of the internship. You are also required to cover your own food expenses. Average costs for shopping at the local grocery store is 30 USD per week. Interns should budget approximately 400 USD for food (grocery store and dining out) while conducting their 3 month internship.
All interns are required to get their Chinese Visa on their own (PDX Wildlife will help you with all questions). These can be obtained via sending your passport and visa application materials to the closest Chinese consulate or through Travisa.com. Please contact your local consulate or Travisa for further details. If you receive anything less than a 90 day visa, you will have to extend your visa in country at your own cost.
Below is an example of where fund allocations from an intern contribution goes and may not be the exact distribution of funds based on changes in circumstance and program needs: Prices are per day.
Accommodation (apartment and utilities in Ya’an): 15.00 USD
Office rental & utilities (for the office space at the base): 3.00 USD
Staff salaries, overhead and project costs: 10.00 USD
Administrative costs: 3.00
Transport (to ride the bus every morning with the base workers): 1.00 USD
Qualifications
- Willing and able to serve a minimum of a 3 months
- Undergraduate, graduate, or degree in Convservation Biology, Biology, Natural Sciences, Education, Environmental Education or related field of studies, or an acceptable combination of education, training and experience
- Passionate and knowledgeable about endangered species and conservation issues
- Outstanding relationship building skills and ability to connect with people
- Exceptional research, written, communication and presentation skills required
- Excellent organizational and time management skills; ability to prioritize projects and meet deadlines
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively
- Spoken and Written Chinese language ability is a plus… but not required
How to Apply
Candidates should send in a Resume/CV and one page cover letter to Meghan Martin by June 6th, 2016: intern@pdxwildlife.com
Please state in your cover letter:
– Where you heard about PDXWildlife
– Details of the experience you have either living / working / traveling in developing countries
– Your level of English & Chinese
– Your level of qualification as it pertains to research involving captive animals, animal behavior, and/or wildlife conservation
Applicants may also be interested in reading our blog and joining our Facebook group for recent news and photos from our programs.
NEW for 2016- To Apply for Roundtrip Airfare
PDX Wildlife now offers one free roundtrip airline ticket (max value of $800) to the most qualified candidate. To apply for this offer your application MUST be complete and sent to us by the above requested date. Additionally, you need to answer the following question and paste your response in your COVER LETTER. Your cover letter, including the answer to this question should be no longer than TWO PAGES.
-Please discuss your management and leadership abilities and how this specific internship will benefit your future goals.